MO Energy Diagrams [ENDORSED]

[Luke_Lucido_3B]

Can someone please explain the concept of when drawing MO energy diagrams how to determine if an atom has a nuclear charge of 8 or higher

[Lucy Nakashima 1E]

You just use the periodic table! The nuclear charge is the same as the atomic number, and, therefore, the total number of protons in that element's nucleus. For example, Oxygen has an atomic number of 8 so it has 8 protons in its nucleus, and its nuclear charge is 8. So if the element is lower than Oxygen on the periodic table in terms of atomic number, like Carbon for instance, then its MO will be different than Oxygen and the elements with atomic numbers greater than 8.